Staches - Placid Faces

by Dave Goodwin

published: 22 / 12 / 2016

Label: Les Disques Bonjo Joe
Format: CD

Fantastic lo-fi psychedelia/ punk from Swiss-based band the Staches who return for a second outing and prove that it isn't really worth growing up

Review

Do we really want to grow up? I mean, in the scheme of things and all the adult boring shit that we have to contend with every day, don't you find more and more that you want to go out and do something really random like paint yourself blue and run through the woods shouting unmeaningful phrases quoted from some book or other? I just don't like growing up. Sometimes you have to regress into not growing up. 'Placid Faces' is the second full outing for a bunch of youngsters from Geneva called the Staches and is released on the Les Disques Bongo Joe label. The Staches are two girls and two guys who’ve been sticking together for ages now and relentlessly working on blending together garage, girl punk, lo-fi pop and psychedelic music and they have been taking it all out to the masses on the road in Europe and the US. They have clocked up more than a hundred gigs on their way. The band, which consists of Lise Sutter on lead vocals/synth, Charlotte Mermoud on bass/backing vocals, Léo Marchand on guitar and Martin Burger on drums, have to date recorded their first album 'Machine' along with a string of singles and EPs, but 'Placid Faces' has more of a grown up sound if the Staches could grow up. They remind me of a female version of Die,Die,Die!, one of my favourite bands from New Zealand. 'E.N.D' is a great example of this. Most of this record is just straightforward unadulterated punk style rock and roll to destroy your ear drums to - great fun. 'Sweet Shit' is a slower instrumental affair though with a great fucked up guitar solo to start which gets joined by other just as weird and distorted sounds. Just when you think it might get a little sensible 'In my Grave' kicks in and reassures you that it won't get any stiffer. There is one annoying bit though for me, but it is only a small thing and that is when they play around with a stylophone on 'Smokey Glitter Pants'. The majority of tracks on here are around with typical punkish timing the two and a half minute mark, but the odd track does extend to over three with the last 'Truths' lasting an enormous four and a half. Their usually raucous sound is dampened down a little with this last track and 'Plastic Phrases', both of which are slower and chugging head-nodding affairs. If you get the urge to explore more, check out You Tube where they have videos to a couple of tracks on 'Placid Faces'. On the whole the entire album will appeal to those amongst us that refuse to grow up. I have to admit I'm trying desperately not to and this little gem of punk-osity is helping one hundred percent. Marvellous!

Track Listing:-

1 Transistor
2 Smokey Glitter Plants
3 E.N.D.
4 Spaces Is a Lover
5 Fury
6 Sweet Shit
7 Inside My Grave
8 I Don't Bother
9 Plastic Phrases
10 Total Commitment
11 Truths